


Is It True?

by FreelanceDreamer



Series: Hayffie One-shots [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mockingjay Spoilers, Y'all better believe Effie knows how to slap a man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 09:28:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11964567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreelanceDreamer/pseuds/FreelanceDreamer
Summary: An assortment of Hayffie one-shots that come from a variety of sources, but mostly from Tumblr or my own brain. Ratings will vary.





	Is It True?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 1: What about one When She Discovers that Haymitch vote for another Hunger Games with only the capitols children?

“Is it true?”

Haymitch looked up from his plate to see Effie place – slam, really – her tray of food down next to him. Her face was pinched in what Haymitch could only guess was barely suppressed rage. 

“Hmm?” He murmured, feigning ignorance.

“Is. It. True.” The words were slightly breathless, as if she couldn’t quite believe what had been decided not an hour before. In truth, neither could he.

“Effie…” Peeta began from across the table but shut up quickly at Effie’s sharp glare. Under other circumstances the situation would have been comedic; Effie the disciplinarian was a new role for all of them.

“Well?” She demanded and Haymitch could feel her glare on the back of his neck. He wished she’d go away, being sober was difficult enough under normal circumstances, let alone during the aftermath of a revolutionary war.

Her hand on his shoulder was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Surging upwards he grabbed her wrist and unceremoniously dragged her out of the dining hall. Her resistance was futile, she had absolutely no muscle mass to fight back with. He could hear her shouting at him but the words didn’t register; his main priority was to get them into a private room as quickly as possible.

Pushing the door open to the nearest storage closet Haymitch all but shoved Effie through and pulled the door closed behind him. Hand still on the handle, he took a deep breath as he prepared to have a conversation that he would have avoided while drink, let alone sober.

“Alright now Effie-”

The slap was so unexpected he nearly lost his balance. Bringing his hand up to touch the stinging in his cheeks he almost laughed – maybe Effie has some muscle on her after all.

“Are you done or are you going to go for round two?” He drawled, turning back to face her.

“Did you vote yes?” Effie demanded, her voice was just barely controlled.

He sighed, “Katniss-”

“No,” Effie cut him off again, although this time it was thankfully with he words and not the palm of her hand, “I’m not asking about Katniss, I’m asking about you.”

It was funny, Haymitch thought absently, that when she was angry her Capitol accent was less pronounced. It made him wonder how much of it was real and what her voice really sounded like.

“Yes.” He said.

She stared at him and for a moment neither of them said a single word. “Yes?” She repeated.

Haymitch let out a heavy sigh, “Yes.”

There was a split second where he thought she might slap him again, or full out attack him like Katniss had when she’d found out that he hadn’t rescued Peeta from the 75th arena like he’d promised he would. Instead, he watched fleeting looks of shock, hurt, betrayal, anger, and sadness pass over her face.

Almost made him wish she had slapped him again. He could deal with physical outbursts but he’d never been good with emotions. 

“What was the point of all this then? This war will have been for nothing.” Effie’s voice was hollow and her gaze was lifeless as she stared over his shoulder.

Haymitch shook his head, “That’s not true,” he insisted. “This will be the last one-”’

Effie laughed in a hard burst, “Come now, Haymitch. We both know that that’s not true.”

“It’s what Katniss believes.”

“Katniss is 17 years old!” The rage was back on Effie’s face. “She’s been through a lot, granted, more than most could ever imagine but she’s still a girl. To her, this would be the perfect revenge – it’s simple and short-lived. But you and I…we both know better. At least, that’s what I’d thought.”

Haymitch through his hands up, his own frustration at the situation leaking through. “Then what am I supposed to do?” He asked. “She never listened to a damn thing I said before. I doubt she’s gonna start listening now.”

“Maybe not,” Effie conceded. “But you two are the same type of person. You can get into her head and make her see sense. Having a Games with the Capitol’s children won’t bring her sister back.”

“She knows that,” Haymitch said quietly.

“She needs to get away from here, Haymitch. Take her back to Twelve.”

Haymitch nodded, “The execution is this afternoon. I’ll see what I can do after that.”

Effie grimaced. Although she didn’t disagree with Snow’s execution it still didn’t sit right in her stomach. For the umpteenth time since the revolution had begun, Effie wondered if perhaps she wasn’t made for war. 

“When did you learn how to swing a right hook like that?” Haymitch asked ruefully, rubbing his check where he was almost certain a bruise was forming.

Against her better nature, Effie grinned watching him. “Maybe one day I’ll tell you.”

Haymitch chuckled, glad for the moment of normalcy between them. There were many things that still needed to be worked out, but he was glad to know that, for the time being at least, Effie was back on his side.

“Shall we?” Haymitch asked as he opened the door into the corridor.

“Onward to battle,” Effie murmured as she composed herself and slipped back into District 13.


End file.
